SWTOR: The Sith Knight
by Zarainia
Summary: Elonia Moonbeam, the Keeper of the Core (from Garduinius), suddenly finds herself transported to the Star Wars universe (during the Old Republic era). Immediately, she is attacked by a Jedi, and soon begins plotting to become Emperor... (The Sith Knight is a cross between the Jedi Knight and Sith Warrior in SW:TOR, with something extra.)
1. PROLOGUE: THE SITH KNIGHT

_**PROLOGUE: THE SITH KNIGHT**_

* * *

_War has arrived in the Galactic Republic. The newest Jedi Padawans complete their final trials on TYTHON even as worlds fall to the Sith Empire, hoping to change the outcome of the galactic war. Negotiations occur on a hundred worlds as the Republic attempts to secure precious allies to resist its enemies._

_Even as battles rage across the galaxy, however, turmoil is rampant within the Empire. The Sith Lord DARTH BARAS has taken power in the Dark Council as the Voice of the Emperor, sending his apprentice LORD DRAAHG to eliminate all opposition, including his apprentice LORD ZARAINIA, the Emperor's Wrath, and the Dark Councillor DARTH VOWRAWN. Taking revenge for the death of her sister Lord Zarainia, the Imperial Agent formerly known as Cipher Nine, SPRIGELLANIA LIASAN, has assassinated Lord Draahg and is being hunted across the galaxy by forces loyal to Darth Baras._

_Now, a powerful young warrior from another universe appears on Tython, holding the key to victory for any faction to secure her loyalty..._


	2. Chapter 1

_For anyone that doesn't know, I should probably define some of the Garduinius terms (Garduinius is one of my stories).  
_

_Ruler: sword, with hilt that looks like a ruler (hence the name)_

_Core: powerful presence that destroys everything for 10km around when unleashed_

_Kenilath: almost-human beings with perhaps Force-like abilities, stronger/faster and more volatile than humans_

_Castor: "beaver" in French. Also the spellcaster types in Garduinius (caster, get it?)_

* * *

TYTHON

Jedi Master Melias sensed the sudden presence in the Force before he saw it, a strangely unreadable disturbance in the fabric of the universe. His Padawan Zenith Plerr, focused less on meditation than watching the mouth of the cave they were waiting in, saw her first. It was the last of his trials before he was qualified to become a full Jedi Knight, after all, and he was determined to prove himself: face the Sith apprentice that had been sent to retrieve an ancient artifact. Before Master Melias could shout a warning, Zenith was charging at the figure standing in the centre of the cavern.

She was young - too young to be on Tython for her trials, surely - dressed in simple street clothes like any other Republic citizen, but in her hands she gripped tightly an orange-bladed lightsabre.

Zenith Force-leapt at the girl with neither sound not emotion, bringing his blade up to strike. At least he had not failed completely at adhering to the ways of the Jedi, thought Master Melias grimly. Still, it was all too clear to him now. Zenith wasn't ready, wasn't anywhere close to ready for the trials. Hoping to salvage the situation, Master Melias activated his lightsabre to defend his apprentice. The strange girl's Force signature told him nothing, but it took an immense amount of skill and training to hide one's Force presence... and even more unnatural ability to appear suddenly in the cave without being detected beforehand.

Elonia Moonbeam hesitated for a moment, balking at the robed shadow leaping at her, glowing blue blade held high, from thirty metres away. To say she was surprised would have been a complete understatement. One moment she had been Core-jumping onto the roof of the Dernière Espère establishment to get a better view of the sunset, and the next had brought her into this shadowy rock cave, under attack, with a glowing, orange - was that a lightsabre? - in her hands.

At the last possible moment, Elonia brought up her blade to meet Zenith's, the lightsabres humming as they clashed. Sparks flew out as Zenith tested her strength, trying to force her sabre backward. The instincts she had honed for the two years since she'd been pulled into all the Kenilath business finally kicked in, and Elonia realised that she was stronger than her opponent. She forced his lightsabre back and Zenith made a hasty retreat - a risky move in any situation, but in this case a fatal one. With more instinct then thought, Elonia ended him with an almost graceful slash across his chest. Zenith's double-bladed lightsabre fell smoking to the ground and deactivated.  
For a moment, she stood there stunned. She had almost certainly killed before, but it had never been in single combat, when she had time to mull over the result before turning to her next opponent. And, she thought, looking to the body of the robed figure on the cave floor, it had never been quite this gruesome.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), she was startled out of her reflection by an attack out of nowhere. Elonia dodged the strike and slipped smoothly into a defensive stance again. It seemed that she did have another enemy after all.

This man was taller than whoever had first attacked her, and wore his hood down. He held his green-bladed lightsabre confidently, seeming sure of his victory. Elonia judged that he must be at least fifty, or about a hundred if he was a Kenilath. Given the situation, she deemed that unlikely. Having gotten over her initial shock, Elonia decided that between the blue and green lightsabres, the brown robes, and the Force-leaping, her assailants must be Jedi. From what she understood, though, the Jedi were keepers of peace... so why had the first Jedi attacked her?

The older Jedi - a Jedi Master, Elonia deduced - struck again, feinting and attacking with uncanny speed and accuracy. Elonia blocked swiftly, the many hours of training coming back to her. It seemed that lightsabre combat wasn't so different from fighting with rulers. There was another advantage she had here: she wasn't quite as fast as she had been, but she was strong enough now to hold her own against the Jedi Master. Figuring that it was in her best interests to end this quickly, Elonia decided to give the Force-leaping a try. After all, weren't abilities such as Core-jumping based on the same concept?

She quickly discovered that it was actually much easier than Core-jumping, and leapt back across the cavern with minimal concentration. It seemed, then, that her abilities were far more powerful here... wherever "here" was. Elonia leapt back at the Jedi before he could make any move to pursue, lifting her blade high for a powerful strike. The energy she felt rushing through her as she jumped was exhilarating. She had never been able to move so smoothly between abilities and physical combat.

The Jedi blocked the blow, but Elonia had pushed his lightsabre downward. She pressed her advantage, forcing his blade toward him. She could see the sweat beading on his face from the strain and knew that her victory was near. He couldn't possibly hold out much longer.

"You can't win this," the Jedi said through gritted teeth. He had an annoyingly strong American accent.

"Watch me," said Elonia.

Then, suddenly, she was sent flying backwards. Elonia flipped once and landed on her feet, cursing herself for her lack of attention. Of course the Jedi Master would have Force powers like her own. Of course she couldn't rely solely on her skill with the ruler in a fight like this. She ducked as two great chunks of rock smashed together where her head has been just a moment earlier. The Jedi was far from defeated.

Taking a chance, Elonia hurled debris at the Jedi telekinetically. As expected, it worked as easily as if it had been orange. The Jedi scattered the projectiles easily and tried to smash her against a wall, but Elonia was ready. She cushioned her collision and tried to replicate her favourite ability in Star Wars, imagining her fist squeezing the Jedi's throat. She was mildly surprised and strongly amused when it worked, the Force choke lifting the Jedi Master into the air. Somehow, he broke free and threw his lightsabre at her. Elonia deflected it with a smooth flick and sent everything she had at him, trying to utterly crush him with her command of the Force.  
Before the Jedi could mysteriously negate her powers, Elonia leapt at him and went fully on the offensive. Her lightsabre wove impossibly quickly through the air, faster than the Jedi Master could keep up with as the effects of the Force crush took its toll. Seizing an opportunity, Elonia struck him across the side, sending him flying. The Jedi Master landed with a grunt of pain and lay still.  
Elonia collected his lightsabre with a nudge of the Force and strode to the Jedi's fallen form. Her nondescript boots crunched softly on the rubble-littered ground.

"You were saying?" she said, pointing her lightsabre at him.

The Jedi looked her in the eye. His voice was soft but calm when he spoke.

"Kill me, then, if that is your will. I'm not afraid to die."

"Well, that's stupid from any perspective," said Elonia. She considered doing so for a moment, but decided that there had been enough bloodshed for a day. Besides, she needed an explanation, which a corpse couldn't provide.

"Why did you attack me?" she demanded after a pause, finding the switch to deactivate her lightsabre after a quick search.

"You killed my apprentice," said the Jedi Master simply.

"I thought the Jedi didn't believe in vengeance and stuff."

"We also don't typically let people get away with murdering one of our order in front of our eyes. Would you?"

"I'm not a Jedi."

"I've come to the same conclusion," stated the Jedi. "But then, who are you?"

"I'll be asking the questions," said Elonia. Unfortunately, it didn't work nearly as well as on TV. Maybe the people who told her she wasn't assertive enough had a point.

"You're in no position to force me to answer," said the Jedi. "You can answer my questions and I'll answer yours, or you can kill me. As I said, stupid or not, I'm not afraid of death."

Elonia scowled.

"Fine, my name is Elonia Moonbeam. Now, why did your apprentice attack me?"

"Much better. You see, we were waiting for a Sith apprentice to arrive, and he mistook you for one."

"How do you know he was mistaken?"

"I don't. I was hoping you would clear that up."

Elonia frowned.

"Do I seem like a Sith?"

"Between the accent, orange lightsabre, Dark Side Force abilities, and emotional turmoil? The evidence is difficult to ignore."

"Wait a moment, accent?" Elonia said, surprised.

"The Imperial accent. It's a Sith characteristic, if you didn't realize."

"Huh," said Elonia, actually listening to herself speak, "I guess I do."

Somehow, it seemed that she had developed a British accent over the course of half an hour. She focused more on how she was pronouncing words and purposely spoke the way she remembered from before this whole fiasco, trying to recover her Canadian accent.

"All right. Is this better?"

The Jedi frowned, now.

"Yes, but your accent's not entirely standard Republic."

"No. You have an American accent, and I'm Canadian. People say it's the same thing, but I don't entirely think so."

She smiled slightly at the look of confusion on the Jedi Master's face.

"Now," she continued, "Who are you?"

"Jedi Master Melias Shorai," said Master Melias with the same lack of explanation.

"And your Padawan?"

"Zenith Plerr," said Master Melias quietly. "He was a good kid, you know. Not ready for his trials yet - I know that now - but he would have made a good Jedi Knight with time and training. And you ended his life so quickly..."

His voice was bitter as he finished. It was the first time Elonia had seen any emotion in him, and she considered that deviation from the Jedi Code a small victory.

"Why did you kill him?" said Master Melias. He had tried to quell any emotion, but not entirely succeeded.

"Well, he attacked me," said Elonia. "And I was pretty freaked out considering that I had just randomly appeared here. What is this place, anyways?"

"A cave in southern Tython," responded Master Melias. He seemed to have given up questioning her, but Elonia was no fool. She knew that the Jedi was healing himself for another attack, but she figured that he couldn't be that dangerous without his lightsabre.  
Elonia thought quickly to what she knew about Tython, which was sadly not very much. It was the ancient homeworld of the Jedi, and now apparently the site of their temple and Council meetings. It seemed to be relatively hospitable... as long as you were on the side of the Republic, which she wasn't so certain about. She had always liked the Empire better, and doubted that she could become an emotionless Jedi.

"I'm not Sith," said Elonia finally. "Nor am I a Jedi. I'm honestly not sure what I'm doing here."

Master Melias had healed himself fully by now, but felt no inclination to fight the strange girl. He was still bitter over the death of his Padawan and his own defeat by someone so young, but it was the Jedi way to let go of those emotions for the sake of peace. It was clear to him now that this Elonia had not meant any harm, though her Force-sensitivity made her a puzzle. If she was neither Jedi nor Sith, how had she learned to wield the Force and fight... and still not have the familiarity to deactivate a lightsabre? How had she gotten that lightsabre in the first place? With anyone else, he would have simply sensed them through the Force, but somehow that path was hidden from him. Somehow, Elonia was blocking off her Force signature.

"Unblock your Force aura," said Master Melias.

"Unblock? Force aura?"

"You said that you have nothing to hide."

Elonia realized that, despite the strange feeling of being Core-less, she was still blocking mind abilities as if the Core still existed. Still, since she was not planning on staying with the Republic, revealing anything was a bad move. She would have to get on the good side of the Jedi, however, to figure out how she was going to make it to Dromund Kaas, considering that she was currently on a Republic world. The dilemma was put out of her mind, though, as she sensed a sudden presence in the cave.

The feeling was not unlike her ability previously to sense the presence of the dragon Ontario, but she realized as Master Melias spoke that it could be far more specific.

"Sith," hissed the Jedi Master, with the closest thing to malice she had heard in his voice so far.

Elonia was divided on what to do. On the one hand, it made far more sense to side with the Sith against Master Melias. She had no measure of the new adversary's power, but she knew that she could win again against Master Melias alone, and was leaning toward the faction of the Empire. On the other hand, she had no assurance that the Sith, whomever it was, would not just leave her on Tython after they defeated the Jedi... in a potentially disastrous situation.

The decision was made for her, though, as the Sith saw her talking civilly with a Jedi, on the Jedi homeworld, with no Force signature to read. Deciding that the Jedi (mostly hidden from view) was the real threat and not the apparently Force-blind girl, he chose to finish her off quickly with a stream of Force lightning.

Immediately, Elonia ignited her lightsabre and deflected the Sith lightning. She literally leapt into the offensive, throwing the Sith at a wall of the cave using the Force, while Force-leaping to her target. The Sith managed to prevent himself from hitting the wall, but barely recovered in time to block Elonia's powerful downthrust with a glowing red blade. Their lightsabres hummed through the air as the fight begun for real, weaving an intricate web of deadly light. Both Elonia and the Sith warrior preferred to fight with blade over Force power, circling around each other as they tried to take the upper hand. Elonia remembered that she still had the Jedi's lightsabre, but decided not to toss it to him unless she could not finish this on her own, which Elonia doubted. The Sith was more experienced - though not old enough to be hindered by age - but Elonia had a speed and energy that he couldn't match, and a talent for wielding the ruler.

"Who are you?" growled the Sith. His voice was deep, and upon further analysis Elonia realized that he had what she heard as a British accent.

"Here we go again," muttered Elonia, swinging at the Sith's head.

The Sith blocked the move and continued, ignoring her.

"You are Force-gifted... strongly so. But you are not emotionless like the Jedi, nor does rage fill you as the Sith."

"Oh, I'm mad alright," said Elonia. "I've been in this universe maybe an hour and so far I've been attacked by three people aligned with no fewer than two factions."

"That is emotion, but not true rage."

"Well _excuse me_!"

"Who are you? What are you?"

"I am your end," declared Elonia.

She swung her lightsabre as hard as she could, knocking the lightsabre from the Sith warrior's hand. It fell to the ground, smoking. The Sith tried to retrieve his weapon using the Force, but Elonia was faster. She swept it up with a practised telekinetic push, and grabbed it from the air. The Sith warrior was retreating, now, stepping away toward the entrance of the cave even as he raised his hand to Force-push Elonia back. Elonia threw her lightsabre at him, guiding it with a nudge of telekinesis. The Sith formed a barrier using the Force to knock it back, but Elonia had already activated his own blade and swung it back at him with rage-filled power. He managed to stop it using his Force barrier, but only barely. Seeing fear, now, in his red-orange eyes, Elonia forced the lightsabre towards the Sith.

"It doesn't have to be like this," said the Sith, his voice strained.

"No?" said Elonia, narrowing her eyes. "Why wouldn't it?"

"We don't have to be enemies. You could join us, become Sith. You have the potential. Spare me and kill the Jedi, and I'll take you to Dromund Kaas."

"I'm not that naive to believe the Empire would take in any random kid who defeats one of the Sith."

"I would take you as my apprentice. I promise you you'll rise in the ranks of the Sith."

"You wouldn't be much of a master, considering that I've already bested you before any real training."

It was a good enough offer, and Elonia was reasonably sure that he was telling the truth. Of course, she had very little ability to sense deception as of yet, but she knew that the Sith didn't know this. He would do almost anything to stay alive, and this was his best bet (and one that benefited him as well). Still, Elonia was hesitant to accept. She realized now that she was unusually powerful in this strange universe, even with minimal training. Starting off as an apprentice to some unknown Sith couldn't be the right way to rise in the Empire. No, she wanted to rise to the Dark Council, and not after the years upon years of power plays it would take for any other Sith. For this, she needed a bargaining chip... and something that would make the Empire take notice.

Finally, the Sith couldn't keep up his Force barrier any longer, and he stepped backwards, raising his arms in a futile attempt to defend himself - or was it to surrender? Elonia didn't care much either way. She stabbed him through the heart with his own lightsabre and left the body, stopping only to gravitate her own lightsabre back to her hand.

The Jedi Master was standing, now, finished with his attempt to conceal his healing. He had probably been watching her whole exchange with the Sith, and not interfered in any way.

"Hey," said Elonia, deactivating the Sith's lightsabre as she strode towards him, "I thought it was supposed to be an apprentice. That didn't quite look like one, eh?"

Master Melias looked thoughtful.

"Something must have tipped him off that we moved the artifact... and he came personally."

"Right. Uh, what happens now?"

"May I have my lightsabre back?"

Elonia hesitated before tossing it to him. She had made her choice... she only hoped it was the right one.


	3. Chapter 2

"I suppose the Council should decide," said Master Melias, catching his lightsabre. "Now, you will come with me to the Jedi Temple."

"I suppose there's not much else I could do at this point," said Elonia, following him out of the cavern. She squinted in the bright sunlight after spending so long in the shadows of the cave. Tython was unlike anything she had ever seen. Certainly, the terrain was nothing unusual, but everywhere Elonia spotted strange flora and fauna. She jumped as a large, winged beast leaped at her, lightsabre immediately in hand. Before she could spear it through, the Jedi Master raised a hand and the beast promptly fell asleep.

"What _is_ that thing?" asked Elonia, glancing at the dozing creature.

"You've never seen a wingmaw before?" said Master Melias, surprised.

"Look, I come from a different universe, alright? I don't know how it happened, but here I am."

"Yet you seem to know plenty about here. What planets do you know of?"

"Yeah, that is kind of strange. Um... In detail? Tython, Coruscant, Dromund Kaas, Korriban, Balmorra, Taris, Nar Shadda, Ord Mantell, Hutta, Tatooine, Alderaan, Quesh, Hoth, Belsavis, Voss, Corellia... I think that's all."

"A strange selection," noted Master Melias. "Which are you most familiar with?"

"Alderaan," said Elonia, and her voice got a bit dreamy. "It's so beautiful there, all mountains and forests and fantastic architecture. It snows, too, which makes its climate like where I live - in my home universe, I mean. I've never been there, of course, but I would like to go. Tython never really attracted me."

Elonia wasn't sure if Master Melias entirely believed her, but the Jedi didn't press the matter. They continued down the narrow path until they came to a paved road.

"Can you sense it?" said Master Melias.

"Sense what?"

"You truly cannot?"

"_Sense what?_"

"The Jedi Temple. The presence of all the Force-sensitive Jedi here leaves a strong imprint on the Force."

"What is this Force thing, exactly? I mean, I kinda figure it's an energy of sorts since we're using it to push stuff around, but I'm not familiar with it."

Master Melias stopped and looked at Elonia in disbelief.

"How could you not know?"

"As I told you..." began Elonia.

"You're not kidding about not being from here."

"Why would I?"

"The Force is an energy that connects all living things, spread out across the universe. Since you must be Force-sensitive to demonstrate some of the abilities you used, you should be able to feel it, at least to a basic degree."

Elonia tried searching with her senses for a moment to detect the Force, but couldn't feel anything specific. There was something different here, almost like something in the air, but she couldn't get a lock on the phenomenon.

They walked in silence for the rest of the way to the Jedi Temple, footsteps crunching softly in the sandy dirt. Elonia watched in amazement as the Temple came into view. Of course, she knew what it looked like, but seeing it in a game was very different from actually seeing it in the light of the setting sun. The structure wasn't particularly impressive by itself, but against a backdrop of forest and mountains, it stood out tall and proud. Jedi, perhaps hundreds of them, trained and meditated in the large clearing around the Temple. Elonia realized that she could sense something about them, perhaps the Force presence Master Melias had told her about. Elonia turned to see the Jedi Master watching her reaction.

"It's beautiful," she said, feeling that the sight warranted a comment. "Very impressive. And I can feel the Jedi's presence. Nothing really specific though."

Master Melias nodded, but he seemed thoughtful.

"Come," he said, starting towards the Temple. "The Council is in session, but it's nothing vital. I think they will see you."

Elonia hesitated. "What do you think they'll do with me?"

"The Jedi are a reasonable people, child. We don't judge people harshly with no reason. You'll be safe here, Jedi's word."

Elonia nodded, swallowing her sudden anxiety, and followed Master Melias toward the Temple entrance. Several Jedi turned to watch the teenager, with apparently no Force signature, and the Jedi Master - battered and bloodied - walk into the Temple. Elonia could feel their gazes and Force auras behind her. The inside of the Temple was open and spacious. Immediately, Master Melias headed for one of the curving staircases in the centre of the largest room. On the second floor, Elonia knew, were the training rooms and the room of the Jedi Council. The two guards at the door of the Council chamber stopped them.

"We need the audience of the Council," said Master Melias.

"We understand," said one of the guards, "but the girl doesn't have clearance to access the Council. You may enter if you like."

"The Council is in no danger."

"Protocols..."

"The Jedi Council is composed of trained and powerful members of the Jedi Order. Do you really think a half-trained child could pose a threat to them?"

Perhaps that wasn't the wisest thing for Master Melias to say, because it gave Elonia the idea she had been looking for. Despite his bravado, Elonia knew that Master Melias wasn't unconcerned. Of course she could pose a threat to the Council. She could probably take them all out at once with a good enough plan. She wasn't ready now, perhaps, but soon she could be. She would need to do it off-world, however, on a planet not entirely under Republic control, so that the security forces wouldn't destroy her before she got two steps, but she was reasonably sure that she could succeed. The Jedi Council wasn't chosen for their strength in combat, unlike the Kenilath leader. However, she would need permission to leave Tython, and that required her to be on good terms with the Jedi.

_If you can't beat them - at least immediately - join them_, thought Elonia as she stepped into the room.

Time to woo them into letting her become a Jedi.

The Council chamber wasn't large, but it was impressive enough despite its simplicity. Elonia made the long walk past the statues of legendary Jedi with a sense of foreboding. At the end of the passage, the Jedi Council was seated around a circular table with what she assumed was an inactive holocommunicator in its centre. Most were physically present, but several appeared here only as holographic images. Elonia realized that she would have trouble getting them all in one place for her plan, but she decided it would have to do. She wasn't really trying to take down the entire Republic from within, after all, but simply to draw the Sith's attention and convince them that she was on their side.

"What is the meaning of this, Master Melias? Where is Padawan Plerr?" said a delicate woman Elonia recognized as Satele Shan, the Grand Master of the Jedi Order (she had always wondered why the Jedi Grand Master wore that black lipstick, though).

"Dead," said Master Melias, "by the hand of this young Force user."

"Why have you brought her here?"

Elonia was amazed by how calm and collected Master Satele was as she took in this news.

"I believe she could become a Jedi," said Master Melias.

Protests rose up all around the Council chamber but quickly ceased as Master Melias continued.

"We'll discuss this later."

"What _is_ your name, then, child?" asked Master Satele.

"Hey, stop calling me that," protested Elonia. "I'm not as young as I look."

"What is your name?" repeated Master Satele, but she looked mildly amused.

"Elonia Moonbeam."

Of course, they would be no record for her name nor her DNA sequence in any Republic or Imperial files. She had simply _poofed_ into existence.

"You say you have no allegiance to the Empire?" said one of the holocall Council members.

Elonia realized that she was speaking like she was from England again, and gave up on reclaiming her Canadian accent.

"No. Why does everyone think I'm Imperial?"

"There is a sort of common Imperial look and accent, and you fit the bill."

"Now, Elonia, we are aware that you are not unknowingly blocking your Force signature," said a Jedi that Elonia recognized as Master Orgus. "Unblock it."

Elonia hesitated. She was unusually precise with her control over the Core's mind-blocking abilities, but she wasn't sure how well that translated to this universe. Even more importantly, she had never tried to block of only certain thoughts in her mind, a very complicated manoeuvre. Still, she clamped her mind-block over the thoughts of betrayal in the core of her mind, and released the rest of the Force trick. Instantly, she was aware of Master Satele scoping her Force signature and thoughts, but Elonia wasn't about to sit still while someone looked through her mind.

She sent out her newfound sense of the Force at the bright point of the Jedi Grand Master's Force aura and gathered all the information she could find, which was a surprising amount. While she was examining Elonia's mind, Master Satele had left her own wide open, and Elonia had gotten what she wanted: the hyperspace coordinates of Dromund Kaas, and information to use as bargaining chips for when she arrived in the Imperial capital world. All that was left was to get off-world to execute her plan.

Even as Elonia was gleaning whatever information she could from Master Satele's memories, the Jedi Council examined Elonia's Force signature as one. It was immediately clear that she was Force-sensitive - and very strongly so. Her Force aura was brilliantly powerful enough that it broke several of them out of their heightened state of awareness, yet it had no discernible alignment. There was certainly darkness inside the powerful young Force-user, enough that she would never have been accepted into training for the Jedi Order - regardless of age - but also plenty of light. Emotions rolled through her mind: confusion, smugness, fear, awe - but they were not focused into hatred in the way of the Sith. And she was definitely not from the known galaxy, Master Satele quickly discovered in her thoughts, but the Imperial loyalty was definitely there. Somehow, this Elonia knew and loved the Empire.

It didn't take any discussion for the Council to agree not to trust her, but the Jedi Code called for giving her a chance, a perhaps dangerous policy but one that separated them from the Dark Side and the Sith. They couldn't even find a reason not to train her to become a Jedi because, coming from another universe, Elonia's age and loyalties couldn't be factored into the decision. While she probably had attachments to people in her universe, none of it applied here.

After dismissing Elonia, they decided on what to be done, but it was a short discussion as Master Satele would not reveal the reasons for her decision. "I will take the child as my Padawan," she said with no elaboration. She was well aware that the Council would debate the decision if she revealed her motives. The simple fact was that the Republic needed every advantage it could get in the war, and this new Padawan could be the hope they needed. The point wasn't to trust her as a Jedi, but to shape her into a weapon and set the prodigious warrior on the Empire. Wherever Elonia's true allegiances lay, she would be made into a hero for the Republic and be manipulated into helping them win the war. If she could truly be turned, then all the better, but Master Satele wasn't aiming for this, which the Council would certainly disapprove of. She knew where her true aims lay. It was a greater violation of the Jedi Code to let the Empire win and ensure so much destruction than to train a Jedi only for the purpose of war.

As she left the Council room, though, Master Melias passed her.

"Be careful," he said. "I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, but you can't trust her."

"I'm not planning to," said Master Satele confidently. But suddenly she wasn't so certain of her plan.


	4. Chapter 3

It was maybe an hour before Master Satele left the Council chamber with the news. Elonia had tried sensing the thoughts and emotions of the Jedi Council, but in true Jedi style passion was minimal and she could find none of the opportunity to read their thoughts that she'd had during their examination.

"We have agreed that you will be trained to become a Jedi Knight," Master Satele told her. "I will be your Master, Padawan."

"I'm honoured," said Elonia, acting the good little Jedi, and she was. She was more surprised, though, that the Jedi Grand Master would take such a close interest in her. Could they possibly know what she was plotting? She had no way to tell if her mind-blocking of particular thoughts and intents had worked. There was no choice, then, but to proceed with caution.

"You have been given quarters in the Jedi Temple," continued Master Satele. "You may take some time to get accustomed, but your training begins immediately. You have much to learn, having begun at such a late age. Be at the training arenas in two hours."

Elonia nodded and set off through the Temple. It took her some stumbling around to find her accommodations, a relatively small dorm surprisingly separate from the rest of the trainees. She supposed that the Council wouldn't want her to be a bad influence on them, but it did mean more space to herself.

A set of Jedi robes was waiting for her on the bed, and Elonia quickly donned them. She also closed off her mind again. No sense in giving her new Masters any advantage. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she realised what the Jedi had meant about her "Imperial looks". There was something inherently off about her looking like a Jedi. The traditional brown robes clashed with her apparently Imperial features and made her look somewhat out of place.

Since she literally had nothing but the clothes on her back (and that orange-bladed lightsabre reminiscent of her ruler Lorikala), Elonia didn't need to unpack anything. Instead, she took some time to examine her lightsabre. It was obviously well-crafted, with a hilt made out of some sort of metal frame with green glass - or something like it - in between, giving a glimpse of the energy crystal it was powered by. A switch at the side ignited it, and Elonia thumbed it on, staring into the glowing orange laser. She tossed it up a bit, testing its balance - again, impeccable. The lightsabre was lighter than her ruler, but not by much, so it didn't take too much to tune her fighting style to it.

Elonia gave her lightsabre a swing, settling into a familiar ruler technique. The blade hummed quietly in that strange sound that lightsabres made as she went through some simple skills. Once she was reasonably sure of her proficiency with the lightsabre, she deactivated it and figured out how to clip it to her belt (sticking it in a pocket just felt like a return to an unprofessional habit), concealing it as the Jedi typically did when not in danger.

It took a while for Elonia to find her way out of the Temple and to the training arenas, but she managed it well before the two hours Master Satele had allotted were up.

The arenas were at the front of the Temple, paved circles on the grassy ground with a few battered training dummies scattered around. Elonia righted one and found a training sabre strewn across the arena circle, testing its balance. As worn as the weapon looked, it seemed well made and she quickly took up a fighting stance before the dummy. She started off with another basic routine of attacks and counters, but moved on smoothly to the elaborate techniques that the Academy trainers had only recently taught her. Some of it she doubted would be useful in anything other than showing off, but it did look very impressive.

Elonia sensed her Master before she saw her. She realised that Master Satele had been watching for some time but had not made her presence known. She sped up into her most intricate moves, her training blade a blur of light in front of her, and at last swept a bow, looking to the spectators.

"Bravo!" called one of the other Padawans, to a sharp glance from his Master. He shrugged and turned back to his own practice.

Master Satele gave a crisp nod. She had noted the grace and power and sheer speed of Elonia's attacks, but most importantly her efficiency. There were no extra steps or strikes, each sequence flowing smoothly to the next.

"That was very... impressive... especially from someone so young, though you must quell your arrogance. May I ask who taught you to fight?"

"A bunch of people," said Elonia vaguely.

Master Satele waited, and Elonia finally elaborated in her typical lengthy way.

"First the gym teacher of my middle school, Mr. Shoelacer. He taught me the basics but ruler-wielding is a bit of a lost art. A dragon called Ontario taught me until his death, using the memories of the Keeper 700 years before. I also learned from Winter during my brief stint in the Wielders, and from Atalo Kenili while in Atalo. My English teacher in Grade 9 taught me unarmed combat, and the COFI and Enekra taught me to shoot. Owl (the imposter) taught me the basics of fruits and vegetables. And just now in France the Academy teachers gave me some of the fancy stuff."

"You've had many Masters before me," said Master Satele, surprised.

"Yeah, but I've only been at this for two, three years and most Jedi start a lot earlier."

"Still, you have a gift for combat. Master Melias is the second greatest duelist on Tython, and you have defeated him. I do suggest that you learn to fight with two lightsabres, however. It'll make you that much harder to defend against."  
Elonia nodded and Master Satele continued.

"I personally am not trained beyond the basics in dual-wielding, so Master Melias will instruct you on that. More important, though, is your training in the way of the Jedi, as you are much more accomplished a warrior than most Padawans. Do you know the Jedi Code, apprentice?"

"I know its basic meaning but not the exact words," said Elonia. "Tranquillity and peace, not passion and emotion and stuff like that; and the last line goes like 'there is no death, there is the Force.'"

Master Satele frowned a bit at her Padawan's butchering of the Jedi Code, but didn't comment.

_"There is no emotion, there is peace. _  
_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. _  
_There is no passion, there is serenity. _  
_There is no chaos, there is harmony._  
_There is no death, there is the Force."_

Elonia recited the mantra, committing it to memory.

"You must learn to follow the Jedi Code if you are to become a Jedi Knight," said Master Satele. "Let go of your emotions for the sake of peace."

"I'm calm," said Elonia, "at least for now."

"You must remain calm, whatever the situation. Emotions, even positive ones, can lead to the Dark Side."

"That's impossible!" said Elonia indignantly.

"You can try. Only then could you learn to succeed."

"Fair enough. I'll give it a try."

"Knowledge, you will gain in time, as long as you continue to seek it. Remember that passion is the enemy of logic and clear thought. I think you would understand that well."

Elonia pondered this for a moment. It seemed that Master Satele believed she understood Elonia perfectly from just a look into her mind. She was about to get a big surprise.

"Harmony," continued her Master, "we must all work for. Chaos is ruling over the galaxy now, as it is gripped by war. The last line, however, is perhaps the most important to our order. The Sith fear death, and will do anything to continue their existence. That is what makes them so cruel and heartless. Align yourself with the Light, Padawan, and the galaxy will be made better."

"Are you so certain that the Light Side is the best way?" said Elonia. "It can certainly be argued that neutrality is the best path, and closest to the Jedi Code. After all, you're in harmony with the entire universe, not just those that follow the Light. And you have far more options in any given situation to succeed."

"But succeed at what cost? That is the question we as Jedi refuse to ignore. It is an interesting premise, but the role of the Jedi is to do what's best for everyone, not necessarily to succeed at what you are trying to accomplish. I'll leave off this lesson here, but remember that you are on thin ice. You have broken the Jedi Code even before leaving that cave, by killing the Sith Lord that attacked you. Master Melias couldn't have realised, but you knew he was at your mercy. Never do that again. A Jedi must respect all life, a lesson that you must learn before your training is over."

"Yes, Master," said Elonia, thinking of nothing better to say. So, she apparently already had a strike against her. Another reason she couldn't be a Jedi. In truth, she hasn't thought much about her decision at the time. To her, killing the Sith had simply been cementing her decision to join the Jedi - at least temporarily.

Elonia spent the rest of the day sparring with the other Padawans (she defeated them all). As promised, Master Melias instructed her on first the basics, then the intricacies of dual-wielding. She discovered that she had a knack for it, quickly developing the coordination to fight with two blades, though Master Melias seemed troubled by this.

As he watched, he was realising just how gifted a duelist Elonia was. It was worrying, since it was all too likely that he would have to fight her again, or at least another Jedi would. Her advantage, he noted, lay mostly in her precision. Every movement was so exact, so efficient and graceful, that she could outlast most other combatants with more endurance, and go for the full-on offensive to overwhelm them. Still, her form wasn't perfect, a common sign of someone who had learned to fight exceptionally quickly, and she wasn't very strong. Although Elonia was much stronger than she looked, and she knew how to put power behind her blows, she had little in the way of brute force, especially against someone who was using the Force to enhance their strength. With two lightsabres, though, they wouldn't get a chance to use it against her.

For a moment, Master Melias wondered why he was helping a Prentiss potential enemy in the first place, but he pushed the thought aside. His duty as a Jedi Master was to train the next generation of the defenders of the galaxy, not to avoid training those that he wasn't sure he trusted.

"You need to work on your defences," said Master Melias. "I know you haven't met anyone that's your match yet, but you're getting cocky. Fight more defensively until you tire out your opponent, if that's your strategy. Offence is a good defence, but perhaps not always the best."

"Spar with me, then. Kind of hard to fight defensively against a training dummy."

Master Melias was reluctant to give her any more insight on his fighting style. Certainly, he could use just one tactic, but the best warriors could learn much even from that - and Elonia was definitely one of the best.

"Get a simulation droid, then."

"I think we both know they're no good," said Elonia.

Master Melias hesitated before picking up a training sabre and taking a position in the arena. Elonia began defensively and it was no surprise to either of them when she defeated him for the second time in a day.


	5. Chapter 4

The sun shone through Elonia's window early in the morning as she prepared for her second day of training. Along with it, however, came a strange sense of foreboding. Elonia had gotten used to trusting her strange feelings, and she guessed that they were even more important in this universe. She checked her lightsabre before jogging out to the front of the Jedi Temple, to the sound of blaster fire. It was even more jarring in real life, nearly making her jump, and there was little she could do about the noise. All she could see from here were bright flashes of coloured light from blasters and lightsabres.

"What's happening?" she shouted to a guard, who was firing from behind a stair.

"Flesh raiders," said the guard breathlessly. "They're trying to take the Temple. Never seen them so bold - nor so well-equipped."

"Can I help?"

The guard gave her a once-over.

"You're a Padawan, aren't you? You should stay back and let the Knights take care of this."

"I'm combat-trained," said Elonia with a sense of déjà vu.

"Fine. I don't know what you Jedi have with risking your lives."

Elonia decided not to point out that that was exactly what the guard was doing and ran towards the battlefield, drawing her lightsabre on the way.

A flesh raider fired at her but she quickly found that, great weaponry or not, they were lousy shots, at least against fast-moving targets. Elonia leapt at it and ignited her lightsabre in one fluid movement, dispatching it without considering the Jedi Code, but decided it had to be justifiable. The Jedi Temple was the base of the Jedi Order and had to be defended. The next two flesh raiders fell before her flashing orange blade as she fought her way toward where Master Satele was clearing a path through the invaders.

Elonia's Master stood calm against the chaos, her double-bladed lightsabre a glowing green blur. Her battle robes flapped in the wind and her face was serene. As with too many Jedi, she sensed Elonia before Elonia could see her.

"We need to get to that hill!" called Master Satele with no further explanation as Elonia approached.

Elonia frowned, puzzled, but took an offensive stance against the flesh raiders. To her surprise, Master Satele cut down flesh raiders with as little hesitation as she did, though without the same battle thrill. Quickly, they adapted to each other's fighting style advancing like an arrow towards the hill in question.

"What's on the hill?" asked Elonia breathlessly, fighting with a reckless exhilaration that she had never experienced before in a battle.

"Their leader. If the leader falls, they all fall. I sense something sinister about this whole scenario, however. We will see what it is soon enough."

"A Sith?" said Elonia. "I thought Tython was fully under Republic control."

"Calm yourself, Padawan. You must enter every battle with a clear mind and without passion."

Which was no answer at all. Controlling her passions was much more difficult than Master Satele made it seem. Elonia quickly gave up on the endeavour and focused on getting to the the top of the hill to confront the flesh raiders' leader.

She was quickly realizing how different her abilities were from back in her own reality, however. It seemed that she had instincts on how to dodge and deflect blaster bolts that she had never had before, and had better reflexes, but she lacked the final resort of unleashing the Core. She was stronger, but slower. Her abilities went further, but her opponents were more familiar with them. All in all, though, she found that she was a better fighter than she had been, especially against blaster-wielders, but she had yet to be truly tested.

Suddenly, Master Satele faltered. Elonia realized that the Jedi Grand Master had been hit by a blaster bolt and, without thinking, rushed to her aid. Why the Jedi refused to wear armour puzzled her, especially now as flesh raiders swarmed on Master Satele.

"Master!" she yelled.

But Master Satele wasn't so easily beaten. She sent up a wall of brilliant blue energy, stopping flesh raiders and blaster bolts in their tracks.

"Go!" she said, her voice shaking from exertion. "Deal with their leader. I can hold on until then."

Elonia nodded and rushed at the flesh raiders with renewed vigour. In a spectacular show of power, she leapt up the hill and landed before a very startled Sith Lord. She had to respect the Sith Lord's reflexes, though, as her killing blow was blocked by a crimson blade.

"You Jedi are doomed. The Republic is going to lose this war," hissed the Sith.

"I don't doubt that," said Elonia, speaking freely with no Jedi watching her. "And I plan to be on the winning side."

"But you're..."

"Certainly not a Jedi, or at least I don't plan on being one for long."

Elonia swung her blade in a wide arc, with the Sith barely managing to block it.

"Look," said the Sith Lord, realizing that she was outmatched, "if you want to change sides, I can get you into the Empire. Help you rise to power in the ranks of the Sith."

Elonia didn't hesitate this time. She had a plan and she was going to follow through with it.

"Do you really think that I would be content as the apprentice of an unimportant Sith Lord? I'm the greatest warrior this universe has ever known, and I'm not going to spend years of my life working towards something I would get simply by betraying the Republic."

She pressed the attack, forcing the Sith's lightsabre from her hands and picking up the dropped weapon using the Force.

"Be grateful I'm putting up a Jedi act," said Elonia, tying the Sith's hands behind her back with a set of mysteriously high-tech handcuffs that she had found with her robes. "You get to watch my betrayal from a cell in Belsavis. Maybe you'll even know when I finish what you started here and bring the Republic to its knees."

"I'll tell them you're a traitor," said the Sith Lord.

"Then I'll find you and kill you, wherever you are," said Elonia with a hint of malice. "I'm sure your death won't be an easy one, especially knowing you betrayed the Empire."

Elonia knew that she had slipped up, arrogantly giving the Sith information that could be used against her without considering that the Sith would live to tell her tale. Still, the situation could be salvaged, if the Sith Lord had any patriotism or sense of self-preservation.

"Now," said Elonia, "are you going to call off those flesh raiders, or do you need to die?"

"It's the artifact on that rock," said the Sith quickly, indicating the location with a nod, "the Prism of Tython. Old Sith magic."

Elonia spotted the glowing device, picking it up gingerly. There appeared to be no controls on the object, but she could feel its power humming in her hand. Focusing on the artifact, Elonia drew on the anger left over from being attacked in the cave and directed it as a thought towards the Prism: _stop_. The device responded readily, sending out a pulse of energy. Immediately, the sounds of combat behind her faded to an eerie silence as the flesh raiders stopped in their tracks.

The Sith Lord was rendered speechless.

"How...? You're not even Sith!"

"But I will be soon enough,"said Elonia. "I don't believe you've told me your name, Sith."

"You haven't given me yours."

Elonia waited.

"Lord Zanésta," said the Sith finally. Apparently, the trick worked after all.

"Well, _Lord Zanésta_," said Elonia, "you'll know my name when I make my move. I promise I'll free you when I am a Sith Lord, though, since it's mostly my fault you failed. Mostly."

With the flesh raider forces out of commission, a group of Republic soldiers quickly made their way to the hill.

"Are you alright?" said one, returning his blaster to its holster when he saw that the situation was under control.

"Of course," said Elonia. "Um, you might want to deal with the Sith behind all of this. I'm not sure what the protocol is."

The troopers hesitated, searching for further danger. Upon finding none, they led the Sith away, presumably to a prisoner transport. Elonia could feel Lord Zanésta's gaze on her as she walked briskly down the hill towards where she had last seen Master Satele. All around, flesh raiders stood frozen under the power of the Prism. Spotting the Jedi Grand Master,

Elonia concealed the Prism as she headed in the direction of a impromptu gathering of Jedi and troopers in the midst of the eerily still flesh raiders.

"There still remains the issue of what to do with them," Master Satele was saying. To Elonia's unexpected relief, she looked much better, obviously having healed herself or been healed by another Jedi.

"They must be imprisoned at least," said a trooper. "We should probably send them off-world. Only way to keep the planet safe for good."

Personally, Elonia thought it would be easiest and most efficient to simply exterminate the flesh raiders there and then, but she remembered that she was trying to earn the trust of the Jedi Order. So, act like a tree-hugger Jedi it was.

"That's unfair to the flesh raiders," she said. "From what I'm aware of, they were here before the Jedi returned to Tython. I suggest we let them go but keep them separate to prevent another grouping like this one."

Master Orgus nodded.

"The Padawan's correct. The flesh raiders probably think that we're the invaders, since we returned much later. In this case, the attack was not even their fault."

"And what of the Sith?" said another Jedi. "It's worrying that any Sith can get onto Tython at all, with all its security and anonymity, let alone two."

"One of which was controlling the flesh raiders," said Elonia. "Her name is Lord Zanésta, and she was working some kind of Sith magic on them." She didn't volunteer the information of the artifact to them. At this point, she needed all the advantages she could get.

There were mutterings about the return of the Dread Masters among the cluster, but Elonia continued.

"She isn't a Dread Master or anything close. If she was, she would have put up much more of a fight."

"There will be a Council meeting this evening," said Master Satele, indicating that the meeting was over. "You may return to your duties."

Elonia made her way back to the Temple, feeling confident that she could take the planet if need be. The new regulations would do nothing against the Prism's power.


	6. Chapter 5

Halfway to the Jedi Temple, Elonia realized that she couldn't simply put the Prism of Tython in her dorm. Although she was less suspicious of the Jedi than she would be of the Sith, she was fairly certain that her room would be inspected at some point and didn't want anything to get in the way of her plans. There was one place they probably wouldn't check, however, and Elonia headed towards her arrival cave with a quick, furtive glance around.

The path to the cave was mostly uphill, but Elonia was glad for it, since it helped her find her way back. With her time alone, she once again tested her abilities, levitating small rocks and generally startling the wildlife. Fortunately she encountered no more wingmaws, although she did glimpse a larger beast from a distance. A guid, Elonia identified, to her surprise. Her strange knowledge of this universe was beginning to come to her more naturally.

About a kilometre from the cave, Elonia put her most vital ability to the test, imagining that she was back in Earl Grey, and tried to turn invisible. It worked as easily as it had back in her universe, and she immediately vanished from sight. Treading quietly, Elonia made her way to the cave nestled in a small cliff, breezing past the aggressive wingmaw.

The cavern was much less impressive empty and silent. Elonia gauged that it was about sixty metres deep and about as wide, with a high ceiling extending nearly to the top of the cliff. Light shafted in from both the narrow entrance and openings up top, illuminating the angular stone walls and piles of boulders.

Elonia took the faintly glowing Prism from within her robes (those things had a lot more storage space than she had expected), watching it pop into visibility as she set it down on the bottom of a rock pile. Taking a deep breath, Elonia focused and lifted a boulder telekinetically, setting it down in front of the Prism.

Unexpectedly, her invisibility shut off, leaving her fully visible and feeling exposed. So, apparently she couldn't maintain her invisibility while doing anything much more than just walking.

It was a few moments before her invisibility got back under control, and Elonia took the time to position more rocks around the Prism, the Force ability getting easier with practice. With the task done, she slipped back into invisibility and snuck back into her dorm.

Elonia let the invisibility slip off (no point in cluing the Jedi in on the extent of her abilities) and pulled out Lord Zanésta's lightsaber. It was lighter than Lorikala, with a thin, curved hilt engraved with some sort of script. Even as she looked at the unfamiliar writing system, understanding began to come to her:

_Peace __is __a __lie__, __there __is __only __passion__._

The first line of the Sith Code, Elonia noted, wondering how she knew this. But the Sith Code was ingrained with full clarity in her mind, and she had to stop herself from reciting it out loud.

Again, Elonia thought about this newfound knowledge. It was as if the memories of someone else were suddenly in her head, someone who understood this universe, if only at a theoretical level. She could feel her own memories fading, too, as she lived longer here. Although none of her skills seemed to have been lost, the life of Elonia Moonbeam, Keeper of the Core, seemed a distant, half-forgotten dream._ I should be trying to return to my Kern_, thought Elonia, _not to establish power in some strange, new universe._

But the troubles of her home no longer seemed relevant. This was here, and now. This universe was more important. Finishing her Jedi training was important. Getting to the Empire and becoming Sith was important. Ascending to the Dark Council was important. Beyond that, she wasn't sure, but it wasn't as if she could find her way home at this point.

Elonia absentmindedly ignited Lord Zanésta's lightsaber, staring into the crimson blade as if looking for answers. She shook herself out of her thoughts and focused on more present matters, the foremost being that she needed another lightsaber if she was to dual-wield. She couldn't use this one, obviously, although it seemed ancient and well-made. The strange knowledge came again. She would get a chance to craft her own lightsaber at the end of her final trials as a Jedi.

Just then, a strange sequence of beeps sounded, nearly making Elonia jump. The Kenili were jumpy by nature, and her own reactions had been fine-tuned by danger. She located the source of the sound, a small, circular object covered with buttons and switches with a large light source in the centre, sitting on her desk. A holocommunicator, she realized, trying out buttons at random until she found the receive call button.

Master Satele's image appeared in a three-dimensional cone of light.

"I hope you're ready to learn about the Force, Padawan," she said. "Meet me at the training grounds."

"Uh, okay," said Elonia. She hadn't expected her Master to resume teaching so soon after her ordeal.

"And one more thing," continued the Jedi Grand Master, her expression unreadable. "You haven't left the Temple today after the flesh raider incident, have you?"

Elonia tried to keep her surprise off her face, mimicking the Jedi's emotionlessness.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing. Just a rumour from some of the Padawans."

The holocall ended, leaving Elonia even more unsettled. She would have to finish her training quickly, before all her deception caught up with her. She stashed the Sith lightsaber under a loose floorboard and straightened her robes before heading to the training area again.

Master Satele was waiting for Elonia when she arrived, a little flustered from getting lost on her way there.

"Do you need a map?" she said, somewhat amused.

"Ah," said Elonia, "I guess that would help, yeah."

"You can get a datapad with all the maps you'll never need assigned to you at the Temple. Now, to more serious matters... I understand that Master Melias gave you a basic explanation of the Force."

Elonia nodded.

"I really need to learn how all of you Jedi know, well, everything."

Except for what I'm planning, thought Elonia. She hoped.

"It takes a lot of experience... and a little nosiness. That definition will do... for now. It's perhaps easier to learn by doing."

"That's the motto of my school," said Elonia. "_Faciendo discimus: _we learn by doing."

Master Satele just looked at her for a moment, and Elonia decided to shut up.

"We Jedi teach the use of Force powers as having three aspects: control, sense and alter. Normally, a trainee would have to gain some degree of skill in each aspect before beginning to learn the next, but it seems that you already have enough control over the Force to take a... more roundabout route."

And a less balanced route, thought Master Satele. The war was progressing too quickly for Elonia to be trained as any other apprentice if she was to make a difference to the outcome. Fortunately, she already had many of the skills she would need as the Republic's hero, although more Force powers - especially from the aspect of alter - would make her hopefully invincible. The idea of skipping through much of the basics of control and sense made Master Satele cringe inwardly as a Jedi Master, but she reminded herself that with this Padawan, she was not training a Jedi, but instead crafting a weapon - the most powerful that the Republic would have at its disposal. And a weapon would not need the character of a Jedi, taught over the years of training that it normally took.

Still, it was difficult not to fall back into routine. Elonia was at about the age when Jedi trainees switched from the large classes of their early education to learning from a single Master. Like her previous apprentices, Elonia was unshaped and inexperienced, but fundamentally good. And that was difficult for Master Satele to ignore. Darkness or no darkness, Elonia could truly become a Jedi if she was allowed. But she wouldn't be, for the sake of the Republic.

Master Satele saw Elonia staring at her and realized that she had been lost in thought for several moments. She shook herself out of her gloomy reflection and continued, not answering the question posed by her pupil's gaze.

"The second aspect normally taught is sense. This is the Jedi's ability to understand her environment through the Force. You already demonstrated powers of this aspect when you began to feel the presence of other Jedi, but they go far beyond that. You can sense others' emotional states, or even their thoughts."

And their memories, thought Elonia.

"Sounds like a Diviner thing to me," she said doubtfully.

"Diviner?"

"They're... ah, never mind. Go on."

"Try sensing through the Force again and looking for anything unusual around the Temple."

Puzzled about what her mentor wanted her to find, Elonia cast out her newfound sense of the Force. She could feel the Force sensitivity of many Jedi, but that was hardly surprising. She looked deeper, trying to delve into their memories once again. No minds were open enough for Elonia to succeed in this, but she did manage to tune into the thoughts around the area, a jumbled patchwork of the petty interests of Padawans and quiet certainty of Masters. One of these thoughts stood out in particular.

You're looking too deep, Padawan.

Elonia broke out of the thought-stream, surprised that Master Satele knew what she was doing. Perhaps some things could only be gained from experience, no matter how talented you were. Now, she felt it, a particular point of distress and pain somewhere south of the Temple, so different from the bright auras of the other Jedi. She fully returned to the physical world to find Master Satele nodding.

"You did well. Are you ready, then?"

"For what?"

"To learn one of the Jedi's most important abilities: to learn to heal."

Elonia practised her Force sense as she and Master Satele made their way to the Temple medcentre, until she could maintain a constant awareness of her surroundings without diverting her attention. It was strange being able to sense different qualities of objects and life forms that she had never known existed, but already she was getting used to it.

The medcentre was a small, sheltered structure presumably filled with supplies, kolto tanks, and a space for patients. An illuminated signpost stood by its entrance, along with a medical droid currently attending to a wounded young Jedi. As they walked closer, Elonia could see that the Jedi had been shot. He lay awkwardly, clutching his side where his brown robes had been charred by blaster bolts, and barely looked up at their approach.

But she had sensed him first, now having taken the next step into Jedihood. The feeling of distress became stronger, Elonia quickly discovered, as she got closer, until it was overpowering. She pulled back her awareness, but it seemed now that she could no longer completely ignore input from the Force. Even standing a few metres away from the injured Jedi, it was impossible to ignore the pain emanating from him.

"_Yoorioph_!" said Elonia. "Is this how Diviners feel all the time?"

She suddenly had a newfound respect for Leah and all those like her.

"It seems that you are unusually sensitive to the Force," said Master Satele, noticing her discomfort.

"Wonderful," muttered Elonia.

"The first aspect commonly taught to trainees is called control," said Master Satele, ignoring her comment. "It is the Jedi's inner control, which you demonstrate, though unknowingly, when you use your ability of Force camouflage."

"Force camouflage?"

_How could she have known?_

"Your mind-blocking is properly known as a form of Force camouflage, an ability I'm surprised you have considering your inexperience. In time, I will teach you the other forms, including invisibility - something even I have not fully mastered. Anyways, you will be using the aspect of control to heal this Jedi Knight."

After a short silence, Elonia spoke up.

"Are you going to tell me how or am I supposed to figure it out somehow?"

"Preferably the latter, but I will tell you this: you must quell any emotions and let the Force act through you."

"If you Jedi are always so deep, I'll have to get my scuba diving gear."

The comment was lost on Master Satele, and Elonia could only sigh and do as she was told. It was impossible to focus, however, with the injured Jedi so close. Being emotionless was not her strong suit, not the strength of any Kenili, and this universe had not made it any easier. Nor had the distraction of the Force. Elonia gave up on the task and instead reached for her emotions, and those of the wounded Jedi: hatred for the flesh raiders that had done this to him contrasting with strong caring for a fellow Jedi.

Heal, she willed. Be made whole again!

She hesitated just a moment before releasing the energy at the Jedi. Warmth and power rushed through her as she acted as a conduit for the Force. The Jedi relaxed, his breathing steadying, apparently drifting into sleep. Although Elonia could not see his injuries, she could sense the they were healed.

"Nicely done, Elonia," said Master Satele, though she looked conflicted. "The power to heal is not to be taken lightly. It's the most wonderful of Light Side abilities, and what separates you from the Sith." Again, however, she did not elaborate on her concerns.

Elonia was puzzled, though, by Master Satele's apparent belief that the Sith - and those who used the Dark Side - could not heal. From what she knew, they did, and as well as the Jedi, though much less often.

They left the now-healed Jedi Knight to rest and made their way back to the training grounds.

"The final area of Force powers is alter," said Master Satele, "probably the aspect you are most familiar and proficient with. It is the ability to manipulate one's surroundings through the Force. Many of the powers that you used are aligned with the Dark Side, however, and as a Jedi you will be expected to use only Light Side abilities. These are the defensive and preventive manifestations of the Force."

"Force users are all crazy!" Elonia declared. "What is the point of all these restrictions? I mean, the Jedi want to avoid falling to the Dark Side and the Sith want to, what, avoid rising to the Light Side? And everyone hates neutrality."

"You do realize that you're calling yourself crazy?"

"Well, I am, my friends will tell you, but it's not in the same way as the rest of you. Meaning, you know, I love neutrality."

"By the end of your training, you must fully embrace the Light."

And that was the end of that. Elonia spent the rest of the day being taught more Force powers and practising the ones she already knew. Unsurprisingly, she picked up everything related to telekinesis unusually quickly, though she wasn't terrible at the rest either.

Still, she did discover a hitch in her plans. Although an adept ruler-wielder, she had too little knowledge and practise with utilizing the Force. Her scheming would not go well unless she put everything into her practice like a real Padawan.


	7. Chapter 6

The day dawned bright and clear, a cool, brisk breeze rustling through the trees. Elonia watched the sun rise over the Temple, her home for the past three months, perched on a high rock outcropping. The rising sun illuminated the clouds with a ruddy glow and cast shadows across the lines of the Jedi Temple. Somewhere, far away, a wingmaw's cry sounded.

Finally, with some reluctance, Elonia stood and launched herself off the outcropping, landing neatly in a crouch. It was time to face Master Litt.

Although she had not yet begun her final Trials, Elonia had attracted plenty of attention from her fellow Padawans for her unusual power with the Force and skill with the lightsabre. She had enjoyed it, of course, but now the latter was to be put to the test. Only if she won the sparring match against Master Litt could she claim the title of being the greatest duellist on Tython.

When she had accepted, Elonia had been confident of her victory, but now much less so. Master Litt was old enough to be experienced and skilled, yet still strong and quick, and as rumour said, he had never been defeated. Many of the greatest aspiring Jedi had tried, and now Elonia would as well.

She walked briskly to the training arenas and picked up her training sabre, modified to feel the same as her lightsabre. She took the weapon in her hands, holding it out in front of her in a vittorath stance, trying to achieve perfect clarity and focus. She had no choice this time; she would have to fight as a Jedi.

"Are you ready?" said Master Litt.

Elonia had, in the true spirit of the Jedi, sensed his arrival, and nodded.

"Let's begin."

She glanced over to the surprisingly large crowd of Jedi watching them, and with the barest hesitation, stepped into the paved circle. As she had been taught, she imagined her emotions flowing away, into the ground. It was surprising how much easier it was now that she had become used to it.

The combatants circled each other, their movements sure and graceful, as each waited for the other to make a move. Finally, sensing Master Litt's lapse is concentration (for although Force powers were disallowed during such a competition, there was no turning off a Jedi's constant Force sense), Elonia struck, slashing high. Master Litt blocked the move easily, countering with an attack to Elonia's side. Elonia, too, parried, and settled into a precise and efficient vittorath form.

As she fought - mostly defensively, though she had not planned to go for an early offensive - Elonia was analyzing Master Litt's fighting style. He, like all the others she has fought, was stronger than her, but slower. He also used a form similar to her vittorath form, moving with efficiency rather than power and attempting to exhaust his opponent.

Elonia realised that her current tactic wasn't going to get her anywhere and took a chance, switching gracefully into the full offensive of the shimath form. Neglecting efficiency for speed, she battered Master Litt's defences, trying to overwhelm him with her attacks. Master Litt did not go down easily, but Elonia persisted, her training blade flashing in an unavoidable web. Finally, her training sabre lightly tapped his shoulder and the match ended.

Master Litt lowered his training sabre and nodded.

"Well fought, Padawan. I did not expect you to defeat me."

"Nobody does," said Elonia. "And well fought."

With the last of the ceremonial words finished, some of the younger Padawans cheered, although most of the watching Jedi just politely and impassionately clapped. Elonia wasn't about to suppress her emotions now, however, letting joy fill her. She couldn't resist smiling as she walked out of the paved circle as the greatest duellist on Tython.

* * *

Although still considered a Padawan, Elonia had learned more than some full Jedi Knights and often had time away from her studies to do as she wished. Now, she took that time to work on one of her projects, taking measurements of the cave where she had appeared. So far, she had discovered nothing unusual using any of the devices, but the project made her feel like she was doing something about returning to her universe, and put her worries about the Kenili of her home at ease.

Even before entering the cavern, however, Elonia sensed that something was wrong. Whether it was her Kenilath's "feelings" or her newfound Force sense, she knew with foreboding certainty that something bad was about to happen - and soon. She ran into the cave, every Force-enhanced sense on edge.

A Padawan, perhaps a bit older than her, stood near a wall of the cavern, intently examining something on one of the rocks. An instant before the wall of the cave collapsed, Elonia realized what was about to happen.

"Watch out!" she called, already running to the Jedi trainee.

He turned to her, surprised and confused, just as the rocks came down.

Elonia reached for the Force and formed a dome of energy around herself and the Padawan. Rocks and debris crashed down around them, glancing off of the walls of the dome. When the dust had settled, the Padawan looked around himself, realizing the danger that he had been in.

"Thanks," he said shakily. "How did you know..."

"I sensed it," said Elonia. "Premonition is... interesting."

"I would imagine so. Obviously, mine isn't really working. The name's Winter, Winter Snwahs."

"Elonia," she said brusquely. "You're Master Orgus's apprentice, eh?"

Winter looked surprised.

"Yes. Why...?"

"Are you here for your Trials?"

"Eventually, if things don't keep on getting interrupted."

A sudden memory came to Elonia.

"Tell Master Orgus to be careful. There's a former Jedi who's going to take him captive."

Before Winter could ask her how she knew, Elonia was walking away. There was something eerily familiar about him that she couldn't seem to remember._ It's probably nothing_, she thought, but the certainty remained.

_She had known this Winter before._

* * *

Master Satele slipped into the familiar trance of meditation, turning her senses to the future. She knew not to push the Force; it would tell her what she needed to know - no more, no less.

The vision came immediately this time, showing her the vague image of a shadowed room. It could have been anywhere in the galaxy or beyond, plain and undecorated apart from red carpeting toward the centre and faint markings of the Imperial insignia on the walls. A dark-robed figure knelt on the carpet, darkness and power emanating from it. Even through the vision, Master Satele could tell that this being was ancient and craved destruction.

The walls of the room suddenly shook, and the floor tipped forward slightly. _So, a ship, then_. A loud explosion could be heard, but the figure didn't stir from its meditation. The air became thick with anticipation.

Suddenly, a glowing line melted through the door of the room. Another followed, forming an _X_. The weakened door blew open, presumably by the power of the Force, and a young Jedi Knight entered, both green-bladed lightsabres drawn. _Elonia_, Master Satele recognised. She was quickly followed by Master Orgus's gifted Padawan, Winter.

"You could have just used the control panel," said the figure in a gravelly voice, rising to its feet. "I did not lock it." Master Satele now confirmed her suspicions of it being the Emperor. His face was hidden by the cowled hood of his robe, but his crimson eyes glowed out of the darkness.

"What would be the fun of that?" quipped Elonia with a smirk. "You don't get a lot of chances to make this kind of entrance."

"I killed the puppet you were controlling the last time we met," said Winter gravely. "You will not escape, either."

"What makes you think I will need to?"

The Emperor drew his lightsabre, immediately flinging Force lightning at Winter. The Jedi Knight ignited his own blue lightsabre and blocked the lightning. Elonia launched herself at the Emperor, lightsabres overhead...

The vision ended as quickly as it had begun. Master Satele considered this new information slowly, as she had been taught to, but it was already clear what it meant. Elonia, for all her faults, would remain loyal to the Republic and Jedi Order, attempting to rid the galaxy of the evils of the Emperor.

Master Satele had been hesitant to clear Elonia for her final Trials with the Jedi Council, fearing as Master Melias did that she would not be controlled, but that was no longer in question. Perhaps she would not adhere to the Jedi Code as closely as most other Padawans, but in all other ways she was ready.

Ready to win this war for the Republic.

* * *

Darth Nox, the newest - _well, second newest, now_, she thought, remembering Darth Kala's promotion after the mysterious death of Darth Vowrawn - member of the Dark Council, drew upon the raw rage of the Dark Side, revelling in its power. It seemed so obvious now that this was the right path, but she had dabbled in the Light Side as an apprentice, not so long ago. Her dabbling days were over, however. She was Threats no longer, but instead a powerful member of the ruling Sith, and one that would help decide the Empire's fate in this war.

Darth Nox allowed a rare smile as she pulled her vision into the future, a feat that few of her peers were capable of. It was feat that had saved her countless times, and that the Emperor hoped would save him as well. Darth Nox had her doubts, but she knew better to force the Force when it came to visions, and simply allowed it to show her what it would.

What it showed her was the sight of the meditation chamber of the Emperor's own starship, the _Onagia_. The Emperor himself knelt on the plush red carpet, apparently meditating on the Dark Side. A sudden explosion sounded, shaking the ship, but the Emperor didn't react.

_He didn't need to_, thought Darth Nox. He knew every trick and trap on the Onagia, and there were many.

However, the traps must not have held, because a minute later, two young Jedi burst through the door. The girl challenged the Emperor with both blue-bladed lightsabres drawn, wary but confident.

"You could have just used the control panel," said Emperor Vitiate. "I did not lock it."

The Jedi ignored his words.

"You would destroy the galaxy," said the girl, "and for that you must be stopped."

"And you think you could stop _me_?"

The Emperor laughed humourlessly.

"The Force is with us," said the young man, "and so is justice."

He ignited his lightsabre and charged at the Emperor, while the girl leapt to strike him down...

Darth Nox blinked away the remnants of the vision, a sudden sense of foreboding coming over her. Whoever these Jedi were, they were powerful beyond their years, enough so to pose a threat to the Emperor she had sworn to protect. If the Emperor fell, then so would the Empire. With that thought, Darth Nox knew what she had to do. To protect the Empire she loved, she would have to forget her ambitions of power - at least for the time being. She would have to do her duty as the Emperor's Wrath and destroy these Jedi before the vision could become reality.


	8. Chapter 7

_By the way, Elonia's "mysterious knowledge" is actually whatever I knew before I started writing this story. So, lots of information about the Sith Warrior and Imperial Agent storylines, and not much else. _

* * *

"The time has come for the first of your final Trials as a Padawan," said Master Satele. "Should you pass, you will be admitted into the Order as a full Jedi Knight."

They stood in an unknown clearing inside the deep Tythonian jungle. Elonia watched the golden sunlight filtering through lush green leaves, letting the serenity of the place calm her. After months of training, her plans could finally move forward. _Ready or not, it was time._

And she was ready, she realized. She had learned as much of the Jedi Code and the Force as any other Padawan in the short time she had studied here. In most other ways, she was a Jedi, but not in her allegiance. She would stick with the faction she had chosen to the end.

"Master Orgus will oversee this Trial," said Master Satele, nodding to the Jedi Master watching from the shadow of the trees, "but this is something you must do without guidance."

Elonia looked to the huge obelisk in the centre of the clearing, the monstrosity she was supposed to lift using the Force as a part of her Trials. The strange knowledge told her that she wasn't actually expected to levitate the thing, only to try and persist, although that made the endeavour somewhat pointless. In the Padawan's Trial that she had gotten this knowledge from, however, the object had been much smaller, and possible for a Jedi Master or very gifted Padawan to levitate. Here, she wasn't sure if even she could do it, but there was no harm in actually trying. Persistence wasn't something she was lacking in, after all.

Elonia knelt on a stone slab in the middle of the clearing, just beside the obelisk, and mediated as she had been taught to. She remained there for some time, immersed in the Light Side as she tried to achieve the perfect focus she needed to levitate the obelisk.

Finally, she realized that it was going to achieve nothing to continue and slipped out of her trance. She focused on the Dark Side, this time, wary of Master Orgus watching and hoping that he could not sense the alignment of her meditation (or at least that he wasn't paying attention).

Elonia had not had a chance to practice with the Dark Side during her training, but the rage came surprisingly easily to her. She meditated again, drawing upon its power.

Suddenly, she was watching a scene in some sort of Imperial room. The black-robed image of the Emperor knelt in meditation even as the room was stormed... by her, she saw with some surprise as the dust cleared. Despite the hood of her dark robes casting her face in shadow, Elonia recognized her future self.

She stood fierce and proud in the vision, a young Sith Lord ready to fulfill her destiny. This Elonia seemed a bit older than she was now - perhaps seventeen - and wiser. She held her lightsabres confidently - one with a red power crystal in her right hand and a blue-bladed sabre in her left - as she challenged the Emperor.

Elonia realized that this was symbolic of her neutrality: leading with her red lightsabre because she was attacking the Emperor as a Sith, but remembering her Jedi past with the blue.

"You could have just used the control panel," said the Emperor. "I did not lock it."

The Sith warrior was calm and focused as she stood before the Emperor, but she couldn't resist saying,

"What would be the fun of that? You don't exactly get a lot of chances to make this kind of entrance."

"Very well. This entrance will be your last, Darth Fir."

Darth Fir smiled slightly.

"We'll see about that."

She Force-leapt at the Emperor, both lightsabres held high...  
The vision ended abruptly, snapping Elonia out of her trance. She mulled over the implications of the vision for a moment, surprised that she would make such a move. Apparently, sitting on the Dark Council wasn't quite enough, at least for Darth Fir. She had to try to take down the Emperor. For all she knew, though, she would succeed at this, as she had everythingelse, so why shouldn't she try?

_Emperor Elonia_. Elonia tried out the name. No, _Emperor Fir_. That was better. The Emperor would be killed anyways by a Jedi Knight, Elonia somehow knew, so why shouldn't she become the next Emperor? She knew for a fact that she could do what was required to win this war for the Empire. Perhaps, she was the only one who could.

Elonia remembered that her Trial was technically still in progress and returned to her meditation, drawing upon the Dark Side once more. This time, instead of slipping into a vision of the future, she let the power slowly fill her. Finally, fully focused, she released it, lifting the towering obelisk upward through the power of the Force. She let it hover for a moment, ten metres in the air, as a mark of her success, then set the obelisk down with the last of her gathered power.

Master Orgus watched from the edge of the clearing in disbelief. The obelisk monument had been constructed specifically for the purpose of being a challenge that even the most gifted Padawans could not overcome, allowing their perseverance to be tested. Somehow, Elonia had, with barely any training, managed to accomplish something even many of the greatest Jedi Masters could not. There couldn't have been more than a few Jedi in history who would had been able to levitate the obelisk at this point in their understanding of the Force. With this achievement, Elonia had taken her place among the most powerful Jedi ever.

Master Satele glanced out the window of her office in the Jedi Temple and spotted something entirely unexpected. The tip of the obelisk was sticking out well over the treeline of the Tythonian jungle. On second thought, she decided as she realized what it meant, she shouldn't have been surprised. The entire Jedi Council had been aware that the Force was exceptionally strong in her Padawan, yet somehow they did not expect the unexpected from her.

Elonia's power with the Force would certainly help her destroy the Empire, but Master Satele reminded herself to be cautious. Elonia Moonbeam was not to be underestimated, loyal or otherwise.

* * *

"You are nearly ready for your final Trial," said Master Satele. "First, however, you must craft your lightsabre. Normally, it would be the first lightsabre the Padawan wields, but obviously you have somehow acquired one already. You will still need another lightsabre, though, now that you have become proficient in dual-wielding."

"And what will my last Trial be?" asked Elonia, shifting from where she stood in her Master's office. She was eager to have this done with and resume her plans.

"You will see. You would usually have to gather all of your own materials, but the Council has decided to speed up the process of your Trials, given the evidence of your capabilities. Only one component is still left to you: the crystal. You will be going to Ilum, a planet rich lightsabre crystals, for this. Your shuttle departs in two hours."

Apparently, Master Satele wasn't kidding about her Trials being sped up.

"Anything I should know about Ilum?"

It was not one of the planets Elonia was familiar with from her mysterious memories, and to be honest, she didn't remember very much from her lessons on planetary lore.

"It's a cold, frozen world. The lightsabre crystals are really its only merit. The Empire's also interested in Ilum, however. They want the planet's resources to make stealth generators, which could make the difference in this war. Naturally, we're fighting back for the planet. It was, and still is, an important site for the Jedi."

"So I'm going into a warzone for a _lightsabre crystal_?"

"You will see a lot more war before all this is over. Do try to stay away from the fighting, though. This isn't a Trial meant to test your combat ability."

"Right. I'll keep that in mind."

With her luck, she'd be fortunate not to fighting through the entire Imperial army.

"You'll receive further instructions once you arrive on Ilum. Good luck, apprentice. May the Force be with you."

Elonia nodded and stepped out into the wide Temple hallway, the door closing behind her. Immediately, she headed to her dorm and retrieved Lord Zanésta's lightsabre from where she had hidden it, along with her old clothes. She threw the lot in a bag and slung it over her shoulder. She had a feeling that she would not be returning anytime soon, and there was now proof of the merit of her "feelings".

The Prism of Tython, she couldn't do much about, but there was no harm in leaving it behind. It would only be useful on Tython, and she could find it again when it became necessary. It was safe where she had left it.

Now holding her few belongings in this universe, Elonia made her way to the rock outcropping in front of the Jedi Temple and Force-leapt up. She watched from this vantage point for some time, until the sun began to set and darkness fell.

She spared a last glance at the softly illuminated Temple and turned to walk to the shuttle.

* * *

ILLUM

The first thing that hit her as she stepped out of the shuttle doors was the cold. Elonia had grown used to the relatively warm climate of Tython during her stay there, and had never lived in a particularly cold area. Now, the frigid Ilum wind chilled her to the core, despite the protective clothing she wore over her robes. She reached to the Force to warm herself, and scanned the Republic base for the strategic headquarters.

Spotting the building, a mostly-underground bunker, she made her way to it, grateful for the reprieve from the biting cold. She took in the look of the building (her strange knowledge gave her no information about structure of Republic bases) as she strode to the door marked "Expeditions" as she had been told to by holocall. Reading was a strange thing in this new universe. The letters and words were obviously not English like she was used to, but somehow, if she didn't think too much about it, she had no problem understanding.

An alien (Elonia could not remember what these beings were called from her studies) spoke to a Jedi (this one a human) through a holocommunicator.

"We cannot simply give up the Crystal Caves to the Imperials!" said the Jedi, with something dangerously close to emotion in her voice. "You _promised_ that you wouldn't pull out."

"We promised at a better time," said the alien. "We don't have the resources to continue trying to take the Caves anymore. The Empire has provided more resistance than we expected... I wouldn't be surprised if they were planning something..."

"All the more reason to take the Crystal Caves, then," said Elonia, stepping into the room.

The alien turned around, momentarily surprised.

"I told you," he said, "we don't..."

"There must be a way."

"Well, there isn't."

"_I_ need to get to the Caves, at the very least. I was sent here to obtain a crystal to construct a lightsabre."

The alien shook his head.

"No."

"_What_?" Elonia was astonished. "I need to complete my Trials!"

"No," the alien repeated firmly. "I told you, we don't have the resources to send anyone anywhere on this planet, least of all an inexperienced Padawan to the Crystal Caves."

"It wasn't even my idea to head here!"

"Your Trials can wait until we do have the Forces to drive the Imps off of Ilum. You Jedi just don't understand..."

Elonia looked to the Jedi's image in the holocommunicator.

"How much do you want the Crystal Caves?"

"What are you thinking?" said the Jedi.

Elonia shrugged.

"A little persuasion, perhaps."

"I'll tell you," said the alien, his arms crossed, "your Jedi mind tricks don't work on my species, and it must be an offence to use them on a Republic officer."

"Well, I'm sure a Force choke does, offence or not."

She raised a hand and squeezed it into a fist, lifting the alien a metre into the air and choking him using the Force. He spluttered uselessly for air, clutching his throat.

"You _will_ gather whatever forces you have to help me take the Crystal Caves, and you _will_ win."

Elonia let the alien hang for a few seconds more, then released him.

"Understood?"

The alien got slowly back to his feet, coughing and gasping.

"It's not going to be enough," he managed.

Elonia raised her fist again, making the alien flinch.

"_Understood_?" The word rang out harshly against the walls of the small conference room.

"Yes, Master Jedi."


	9. Chapter 8

They arrived at the battered Republic forward camp just as the distant Ilum sun set. The alien commander, who Elonia learned was called Commander Lursh, quickly gathered the small force that remained in the garrison into a group at one of the entrances.

Elonia examined the troopers, frowning slightly. There were thirty of them, an elite platoon of snipers whose jobs were to defend the base. Or rather, their jobs had been to defend the base. They stood at attention with their helmets off, proudly wearing the distinctive armour of their position.

"We will be abandoning Silich Base indefinitely," said Commander Lursh, his voice sad. "There has been opposition to the idea, but we no longer have a choice. The Empire has taken the Crystal Caves and no longer have the resources to take them back."

Commander Lursh paused, now, and Elonia realized what he had been planning all along. Immediately, she drew a shield of the Force around her, slowly sending more energy into it as the Commander spoke.

"We know when we have no chance of winning," continued Commander Lursh, "but the Jedi do not. This Dark Jedi has threatened me and used the Force against me in an attempt to force us to continue fighting. Perhaps, the Jedi must be better persuaded of our viewpoint."

Elonia could sense the troopers tensing in preparation for a fight, but she was - or at least seemed - calm as she spoke.

"Or perhaps, you should be better persuaded of mine. We wouldn't lose if we went after the Caves, you see. I have a plan, and you are more powerful than represented by your numbers alone."

"And what is this brilliant plan of yours?" said one of the troopers skeptically.

Commander Lursh frowned slightly, but he realized that this was not the time to exercise his control over the troopers and remained silent.

"Well..." said Elonia, "um, I haven't quite finished it yet. I'd have to see the Imperial base guarding the Caves."

"So you don't have a plan," said Commander Lursh.

"I will once we get there."

"We're not going there. We are retreating, and that's final. When we get back to the base camp, you are under arrest."

"And you're _totally_ going to be able to take me captive," said Elonia, smirking. "Look, I figure I have a good chance of taking the Crystal Caves by myself, but I would have a bit of a problem holding them while I grab my crystal. That's why I asked you."

"_Asked_?" Commander Lursh was incredulous. "You _Force choked_ me."

"I would say sorry, but I'm not. It had to be done."

"You think you're invincible, don't you?"

Elonia shrugged.

"Nothing has given me proof otherwise, and if I win this, it would be further proof of my invincibility."

"Fine," said Commander Lursh finally, seeing his platoon's reluctance to abandon the caverns. "We'll bring you to the Caves. That's no guarantee that we'll take part in your plan, however."

Elonia smiled slightly and turned to walk back to the garrison entrance.

"That's all I was asking for."

After a few steps, she looked back and added,

"And about calling me a Dark Jedi. Doing what must be done after all other options are depleted is not Dark Side. I'm neutral... and I'm not a Jedi."

"But aren't you training to...?" said a trooper.

"_Shhh_," Elonia said, grinning. "Now, let's get to those Caves."

* * *

Elonia and the Republic defence squad surveyed the scene from behind a hill overlooking the Imperial camp. Immediately, she spotted the three gun emplacements near the front of the garrison, recognizing something very similar from her new memories.

"What are those?" she asked to confirm.

"Gun emplacements," said a sniper. "We're probably too small to be targeted, but they would be used against things like approaching ships."

"Can we use them against the Imps?"

"I suppose... there'll certainly be systems to prevent it, but we're all well-trained in slicing. The problem will be getting _into_ the emplacements."

"I'm sorry to say that I don't have a brilliant plan for that part. However, I do know that we're not as outnumbered as you might have thought. The Empire is bluffing. They're just as starved for resources as we are. They just happen to hold the Caves currently, so they're not about to pull back, but from what I can sense, there can't be more than five hundred troopers in that camp and the emplacements are the weakest part."

"We're still outnumbered more than ten-to-one," said Commander Lursh.

"Isn't a good Republic sniper worth a dozen Imps?"

This evoked a few, hastily-stifled chuckles.

"We're trained defensively, not offensively," said another trooper. She looked amused to be bossed around by a kid.

"And how many of them is a Jedi Knight worth?" Elonia continued. "There are no Sith among them."

"Wait a moment," said Commander Lursh. "You're not a Knight yet."

"I will be when this is over."

"Fine, so say that we access the emplacements. It'll take time to destroy whatever we're targeting. They'll take back the emplacements with reinforcements or blast us to smithereens with the other emplacements before we can do it."

"We'll hold them back. You did say you were trained defensively. I'll lead a small group to take another emplacement shortly after you gain access to the first, and we can destroy the third with the two that we control. Then, we'll bombard their camp until they retreat."

"This is madness!" Commander Lursh said, sweeping his gaze over the Imperial camp. "You want me to try to attack an Imperial garrison with thirty troopers?"

He wasn't as surprised as he thought he would be, however. This sort of plan had been considered before, but always deemed much too risky. Still, they were desperate, and this Jedi Padawan could pose as much of a threat to his platoon as the Imperials if he went against her...

"Not just to attack. I want you to win," said Elonia.

"Victory is not so easily promised."

"Does that mean you'll do it?"

"It means I'm out of my mind."

Elonia smiled.

"I guess it does."

She pointed to four of the troopers.

"You, you, you, and you... you're coming with me."

The snipers looked to Commander Lursh, who shrugged.

"She's your commander for now, I suppose."

"We'll sneak over to the emplacement before you attack," said Elonia. "Wait a few minutes and approach from the sides, I guess. Don't get yourselves killed."

"I don't need you to tell me how to do my job," Commander Lursh told her, grumbling.

"Right, well... good luck, eh? May the Force be with you."

She motioned to her troopers to activate their stealth generators and crept over the hill, turning invisible herself. She could hear the Commander mutter something about Jedi and suppressed a smile. Emotionless Jedi time.

Fortunately, it appeared that the Imps weren't equipped with stealth detectors, and they arrived behind the eastern emplacement unnoticed. Elonia pressed herself against the wall, although it probably wasn't necessary. A few minutes later, she heard the sounds of blaster fire and explosions and ratcheted up her Force awareness. She waited another minute, then muttered into the comlink she had borrowed from the Republic base,

"Three... two... one... let's take them!"

Elonia snapped out of invisibility, burning through the surprisingly-flimsy door with her lightsabre. She put up a Force shield around herself and kicked it in, putting her lightsabre through the Imperial trooper guarding it before the dust had cleared. Her lightsabre blade glowed a deeper orange in the relative darkness, looking closer to the red of a Sith blade. Elonia ignored the alarms blaring through the building and leapt to the first trooper to shoot at her, blaster bolts bouncing harmlessly off of her Force shield. She smashed him into a wall with the Force, turning before the trooper fell limply to the ground. She could already sense his death.

The troopers under her command had entered by then, and the sound of blaster fire echoed in the building. Elonia wreaked havoc on the Imperial troopers, leaping from one to the next with barely a pause. She did her best to dodge or deflect the blaster bolts, but there were enough that she had to rely on her Force shield to protect her. Soon, however, the number of bolts fired at her dwindled. Elonia killed the last Imperial trooper to find that the building was silent.

"The reinforcements will arrive soon," said one of the Republic troopers, breaking the silence. "Better hurry up."

"I should be telling you that," said Elonia, deactivating her lightsabre and clipping it to her belt. "You're the expert slicers."

She had grown more accustomed to the technology of this universe, but despite her ability with technology in her previous universe, she could only learn so much in three months.

"Some of us are much better than others," said another sniper.

She strode up to the control panel and, pulling a few devices out of her tool belt, began typing rapidly. The other troopers took up positions around the upper walkway of the emplacement building. Finally, after a few tense minutes, the trooper at the controls nodded to Elonia.

"We have access. Targeting the western emplacement."

The sounds of the turret firing vibrated in the walls and floor of the building, making Elonia nervous for the soundness of the structure.

"They really skimped on these things... at least the Republic camp isn't this flimsy."

"I'm sure their forward camp isn't, either," said the trooper monitoring the controls. "They had to build this quickly, remember."

Suddenly, the sounds of blasters rang out again.

"Their reinforcements!" called out a sniper on the walkway.

Elonia tensed, tempted to go out and meet them, but she realized that the Imperial troopers could easily recapture the emplacement if the controls were left unguarded. She slipped into invisibility, drawing her lightsabre but not igniting it just yet. The sounds of battle drew closer and the walls shook as explosives were thrown at the building. Finally, in an all-out offensive, the Imperials reached the door.

Elonia moved more stealthily this time, sneaking behind a trooper and stabbing him with her lightsabre before he could react. The invisibility immediately wore off, but it had served its purpose. Elonia threw several troopers against the walls of the room with the Force, stunning them long enough to finish them off with her lightsabres. Distantly, she heard someone call out,

"Western emplacement has fallen. Targeting the Imperial base."

A trooper with a vibrosword challenged her, but Elonia easily knocked the weapon out of the trooper's hands and killed her with a quick jab. She leapt on to her next opponent, but by now she was growing concerned. Her Force shield could only last so long, and it seemed now that it wouldn't last long enough. The enemy was beginning to seem endless.

She was surprised when the Imperial troopers suddenly stopped arriving. Silence fell once again over the eastern emplacement.

"No more of them, unless they have stealthers," said one of the snipers on the walkway. "Everyone we can see is in retreat."

"It's over," said the trooper at the emplacement controls, looking tired but victorious. "Their camp has been reduced to rubble. They wouldn't keep fighting through that."

Elonia tapped her comlink.

"Commander Lursh? What are our casualties?"

The commander's tired voice came through her comlink.

"Twelve on our side."

"So, thirteen. Do we have enough to hold the Caves?"

"If five hundred Imperials wasn't enough, then what do you _think_?"

"Call for reinforcements, then. Or is a victory at the Crystal Caves still not enough to convince the rest of the Republic to support us?"

"I can try. I believe they won't attack again for some time. You can go get that crystal you wanted. Hope it was worth the thirteen lives."

"You're just really bitter all the time, aren't you? Anyways, it was way more than thirteen. I killed fifty-three of them."

"You keep count?"

"You kind of have to, don't you?"

Elonia tapped off the comlink and turned invisible once again, making for the shadowed entrance of the Crystal Caves.


	10. Chapter 9

Elonia picked her way over the ruins of the Jedi Temple at the entrance of the Crystal Caves. In reflection, bombarding the Imperial camp hadn't exactly been respectful to the ruins, which were now even more, well, ruined.

The entrance to the Caves themselves loomed dark and ominous ahead. Elonia felt a sense of foreboding as she stepped into the shadows. Something was wrong here, but she couldn't seem to identify the cause.

The Caves seemed to be faintly illuminated; Elonia could see even to the far wall of the entrance cave despite the shadows. As she turned the first corner, she discovered why. The walls of the caves were lined with softly-glowing crystals, translucent and sparkling in the dim light.

Elonia pushed aside her unease as she strode through the silent Caves, the scraping of her boots against the sandy cave floor the only sound audible. Now and then, she brushed her fingertips against the crystals on the wall. They were cool to the touch and some resonated through the Force on contact, but she didn't know which to make her choice.

Then, she spotted it: a crystal that glowed much brighter than the others. It was the regular blue that most Jedi favoured for their lightsabres, and not particularly large, but its energy called out to her and she answered, instinctively placing a hand over the glowing crystal. This time, it was not cool but warm, and came off in her hand. Elonia cupped the crystal in her hand, the glow casting her palms in blue. She stared through the rough facets and into the vibrant blue deep inside...

And suddenly, she was no longer in the Crystal Caves. She stood on a walkway overlooking the shadowed skyline of an oddly familiar city. Lightning forked across the stormy sky, and the wind howled around her, sending her hair and dark robes billowing. Behind her loomed the dark mass of...

_The Citadel_, Elonia realized with a jolt. She was on Dromund Kaas. And moreover, she was glad to be there. Even though she was soaked from the rain, even though Kaas City still showed the marks of the war, things had not gone badly at all.

Suddenly, something tripped the delicate web of her Force sense. Elonia ducked, trusting instincts honed from years at war, as the _something_ flew over her head. Immediately, her purple-bladed lightsabres were in hand. She searched the air for attackers, already drawing up a shield around herself.

The object returned, with three others. Elonia blasted them all back with the Force, smashing the droids into the wall of the Citadel hard enough to turn them into scrap metal. She realized just how much more powerful she was. Every motion was stronger, faster, more accurate. She had reached her prime.

More came for her, and this time they had a chance to fire. Elonia deflected the bolts easily and sliced the droids in half, but the droids' weapons seemed more powerful than regular blaster lasers. _Who was attacking her?_

When the next group of droids came, Elonia noted the direction they had come from before destroying the droids: the rooftop of a skyscraper somewhere to her left. She turned invisible and ducked into the Citadel, jogging past the familiar statues on the wall. Her pride urged her to deal with the threat on her own, but that was a fool's mistake. Until she identified her attackers, she could not afford to underestimate them.

Elonia noted with some surprise that the entrance of the Citadel was unguarded. So, there would be no help forthcoming from there, but surely Darth Ialus would not be as easily turned against her, if that was indeed the reason for the guards' absence.

Elonia turned a corner into Darth Ialus's office, and was unceremoniously dragged out of invisibility. She swore softly. _Stealth detectors._

Elonia tensed as the door slammed shut behind her, igniting her lightsabres. She had walked into a trap. Droids came through the walls and who-knew-where, dozens at a time. Elonia slashed and blasted frantically, but they quickly overwhelmed her. Bolt after bolt of the strange blaster lasers hit her Force shield, until it had finally worn down.

Elonia stared the closest droid full-on in its glowing red sensors just before it fired the killing shot, trying to discern who had sent it. Its polished metal shell gave no clue as to its origin, a strange disappointment. She would have liked to know who had finally gotten her, where so many others had failed. Then, the laser came, and everything went...

_Blue_. Elonia gazed into the azure depths of the lightsabre crystal, but she could still see the final seconds of the vision replaying in her mind. So, that was how she would die: trapped in the confines of her friend's office, deep in the Sith Sanctum on Dromund Kaas. Elonia wondered if it would be this Darth Ialus that would plot to kill her, or if the room was simply a coincidence.

In any case, she had many years ahead to figure it out. _But not enough_, thought Elonia grimly. She couldn't have been older than thirty in the vision. If she failed to foil the attempt on her life, she would die young, like so many other ambitious Sith. She would be no better than the inexperienced Lords that survived only for weeks on the Dark Council, and she couldn't allow that. She couldn't possibly die without creating a life for herself, without leaving her mark upon the world.

The knowledge of the circumstances of her death set Elonia ill at ease. She didn't particularly want to live for thousands of years as the current Emperor had, but she hardly wanted to die this early. Still, knowing when she would die meant that she also knew when she would not die. Somehow, she would survive challenging the Emperor, one way or another. Considering the low probability that the Emperor would let her live if she failed, she would probably succeed to reign for a time at least. There was no reason to hold back in her ambitions, then. She stood to gain so much more than she could lose by attempting to become Emperor.

Elonia tossed the lightsabre crystal in her hand as she considered this, then finally dug through her bag to find the lightsabre materials she had been given. The time was right to craft her lightsabre; she could feel it.

She placed the components on a crystal-free rock in the cave and drew upon the Force, sending energy into what would become her lightsabre. The materials responded to her nudges with the Force, lifting into the air and slowly settling into their finished positions. With a final twist, the hilt came together, encasing the crystal in bright metal.

Elonia took the completed lightsabre in her hands and ignited it, watching the brilliant blue laser blade come to life.

"This weapon will be a light against the darkness," she said, holding the lightsabre high.

Elonia realized with a sense of déjà vu that that was exactly what the Jedi Knight had said... before being attacked by a beast. She deactivated her new lightsabre, clipping it to her belt on the other aide, and glanced around warily. The sense of dread was growing stronger... and nearer.

Elonia slid into invisibility, trying to pinpoint the source of the wrongness. She moved as silently as possible through the Caves in the direction of the feeling until she reached the entrance to a narrow passageway. The darkness she had sensed lay ahead.

"You may as well come out where I can set you and show yourself," said a light voice from deep inside the passageway. It had a standard Republic accent.

Elonia tensed, ready to spring towards or away from the mysterious entity. She checked her cloaking of her Force signature, but it seemed seamless.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked when the voice repeated itself.

"You may be decent at Force camouflage, little Padawan, but you can still be heard. The sound of your footsteps - and even your breathing - disturbs my web of Force sense."

"I am _not_ little!" snapped Elonia.

"Be realistic. It's difficult to deny."

"How do you even... Who are you? And what's with the web reference? Are you, like, a spider?"

"No," said a voice behind her. "I was a Jedi. I could be your future."

Elonia jumped, spinning around. A beautiful woman in all-black armour leaned lazily against a cave wall. It was the first time she had seen the corruption of the Dark Side. It shadowed the former Jedi's face and made her eyes glow light orange, but if it suited anyone, it suited her.

The woman smiled.

"You need to work on that Force sense."

"You're a Dark Jedi," said Elonia.

"I won't deny it."

"What are you doing here?"

"What, you aren't going to charge at me with lightsabres outstretched?"

"Speaking is quite distracting during a fight... and it would be rather difficult to ask a corpse."

Elonia leapt out of the way of a stream of blue Force lightning. She gripped the lightsabres clipped to her belt, but by now she had realized that this Dark Jedi meant her no harm.

"Don't get cocky, now, girl," said the Dark Jedi.

"I haven't lost a fight yet. I believe I can best you."

"You shouldn't, 'cause if you had, you'd be dead."

"My question still stands: who are you? What do you want with the Caves?"

"I'm no one of note. Once, I was the Jedi Consular Legatuh Lee. Now, I am more powerful, less respected. It's a tradeoff, I suppose. As for why I'm here? Same as you: I need a lightsabre crystal."

"So, Dark Jedi Legatuh... I kind of wonder why _you_ aren't charging at _me_ with lightsabres outstretched."

"Well, one, because I don't even have _one_ completed lightsabre as of now. Two, charging at someone with lightsabres outstretched is one of the worst ways to start a duel. And three, I like you. You're not like them, with their emotionless compliance. I can sense the darkness in you."

"Am I about to get a lecture?"

"No, by all means, be free! We're not so different, you and I. You could embrace the darkness. Maybe you will, one day."

"I will never be like you," said Elonia softly.

"Believe what you like, little Jedi."

And with that, she vanished. Elonia stared at where Legatuh had been standing just moments earlier, casting out her Force sense for any clues, but the dark presence had also disappeared. So, Elonia said her next words to herself.

"I may refuse the Light Side, but I also refuse the Dark. I am neutral, and proud of it!"


End file.
